Former *NSYNC star Lance Bass has attacked Chris Brown after allegations emerged that Frank Ocean had been called "a f*ggot" during their brawl late last month, arguing that the homophobic slur is "just like calling [him] the N word".

Openly gay Bass has now lamented the perceived lack of "understanding" amongst minorities when it comes to "very derogatory" words, saying that the slur was "definitely meant to hurt" Ocean.

"Calling people f*ggot and that stuff - he may not even mean what he means, but it's a derogatory term that people throw out there and without even knowing why they are saying it," Bass told Celebuzz.

"But when it comes to Frank Ocean and knowing that he's very out... it was definitely meant to hurt him. It's never good to throw those words out there that mean so much.

"[Brown] should understand that being a black man himself. He should know that the F word is just like calling you the N word in a very derogatory way."

He continued: "When you come from a minority like that, being gay or black or whatever, it's like there should be an understanding, like we all get each other. But you don't see that a lot, which is really sad."

Bass added that he believes the only way Brown can be "rehabilitated" is with a stint in jail.

"I think everyone can change, [and] I hope that he can change his tune," he said. "[But] we have all seen he hasn't rehabilitated himself whatsoever.

"There is obviously a problem there. Really, the only way to solve that is, you are going to have to go to jail. They are going to put you locked up for a long time for you to really learn a lesson."